Bottle holder



Patented June 9, 1942,

UNITE-D stares PATENT OFFICE i 2,285,399 ",no'r'ruy: nomma Edwin Arneson, Morris, Ill. Application November'lii, 1938, Serial No. 249,621

paper board or other suitable material, fol' the vpackaging of a plurality of articles suc as bottles.

VThe general purpose of the inventionV the provision of such a device which may be in nufactured very economically from sheet stock, ch

as paper board, in a collapsed or knocked-down Jcondition, such that it will occupy but little space and may be conveniently stacked andpackaged for storage and shipment, and which may be set up by the user, at the place where its intended contents are to be packaged in it, quickly and easilywithout requiring any special apparatus or additional fastenings in so doing; furthermore, that when so set up the container will be suitably strong, and will maintain its set-up form in such fashion as to permit 'the contents to be placed in it quickly and easily, yet will retain the intended articles securely in a compact package which may be carried with convenience.

` Another object is the provision of such a container which permits one or more or all ofthe contained articles, such as bottles, to be removed as desired, without involving any dismantling or mutilation of the container, thus leaving it in condition such that it may function satisfactorily for re-use, as for return of the empty bottles.

l (ci. 229-52) This invention relates to containers, made oi!v material, in suitable form for fabrication of the receptacle shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the receptacle formed from the blank illustrated in Fig. v2, showing the fabricated receptacle in its flat or collapsed condition; i

Fig. 4 is a detail, on an enlarged scale, illustrating a novel feature and method of construction for fastening, by means of staples, articles fabricated inflat\or collapsed condition from sheet material, the' illustration being in the na- L ture of a section on approximately line I-l of Fig. 3;

f Fig. 5 is a similar-section showing the relation- Yet another object of the invention is the provision of such a container which may be manufactured complete in a collapsed or knockeddown condition, and maybe set up in condition for reception of articles without-'requiring any fastening or interlocking of any of its parts.

Another object is the provision of .a new'form of construction and a method of constructing containers or the like from paper board, whereby parts may be fastened together by staples or other mechanical fastenings in such fashion 4that they are very securely and permanently connected, the construction and procedure being of a character suchthat said fastenings may be applied very quickly and very rapidlyin the course of manufacture and without requiring any complicated handling or unfolding of parts incident thereto.

ship of the parts pursuant Vto partial opening up or distention of the device from its ilat or collapsed condition; and Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a wire handl of a type appropriate for use in a container of the type illustrated in Fig. 1.

It is a somewhat diflicult or inconvenient matter to package such articles as bottles in groups of a half dozen in a manner such that they may be carried conveniently and with security. Moreove, in the fabrication of special'receptacles or carriers for such purpose from paper board or similar inexpensive material, it is not always safe to use glue or other adhesiyes for fastening together portions ofthe material which are sub- I jected to considerable stresses, and particularly Other and further objects of the invention will be pointed out or indicated hereinafter or will b e apparent to one skilled in the -art upon 'an understanding of the present specification or upon actual use of the invention.

For purpose of aiding in an explanation of the invention, I show in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and hereinafter describe, certain forms in which it may be embodied and practiced. kIt is .to be understood.

` if the character of the material to be packaged,

and the manner or places in which the packaging is done, or the conditions to which the packages are subsequently subjected, are such as to expose the fastenedgportions to wetting. Consequently, in the absence of other provisions for safeguarding such adhesive'ly secured portions against separation, it is desirable to use mechanical fasten-` ings, rather than an adhesive, for fastening the parts together. f The matter of cost is a primary factor in determining whether a special packaging receptacle, such as a container for the carrying of bottles,

has practical or commercial utility, and if me-Y chanical fastenings are to be employed in thefabrication of such articles, the design of the receptacle itself and the procedure to be followed in fabricating it must be such that the parts may be fastened together when the device is in the fiat condition, as distinguished from a partially opened condition, in order that the manufacturing procedure may be carried on at such a speed and with rsuch simplicity as to keep the operati/ng cost per unit very low.

The subject matter of the present invention provides a form and method of construction whereby these desirable results may be attained very eectively, it being understood that the procedure is adaptable to the fabrication of a great variety of articles from paper board or other suitable sheet material. i

The nature of the invention can be explained most quickly by detailed description of the constructions and procedures illustrated in the drawing, whichA are as follows.

lIn each instance the container is designed for bottles, orother articles, of specified dimensions, the embodiment here illustrated being designed for the packaging of six bottles o f, approximately uniform size. A blank of the form shown in Fig. 2 is cut from an appropriate material, such as ypaper board, having the vnecessary strength and stiiness, said blank being subdivided by crease lines into a pair of inner .panels II), Iii', which are combined along a top crease line a, a pair of bottom'panels II and II', which are conjoined respectively tothe inner panels along creasel linesy b and b and to outer panelsv I ii and "I2" yairing crease lines c and c', allof said creas'ef'iinsbeing parallel and the panels of respective pairs being alike. The bottom panels are'y formed with median crease lines d and d andjsaid panels are of a width approximately equal to thel overall 'diameter or width of the articles for which the container is designed. At

the ends of theginner panels I and I0" are crease lines ejid e' which extend at rightangles to the crease line a, to mark on. end sections, which vend sections are further apportionedr by` crease lines f and f parallel to the if crease lines e and e', into flap portions I3 and I3' and mid-portions I4 and I 4'. At the intersection ofl the crease lines a and e, the blank ispunched with handle apertures I5,- and from these extend diagonal crease lines g to mark olf gussets sections.

At symmetrically disposed locations in the mid-portions I4 and I4', small punch sections I'I are partially blanked out of the material, as by cutting it completely 4through along their more extensive sides and deeply scoring, or cutting it almost through, at their narrow ends or corners, as illustrated for example at Ila in Figii.v

At the ends of the outer panels I2 and I2',

are end sections I8 and |8a conjoined thereto .along crease lines h and h' l and subdivided by crease lines 7c and k', saidcrease lines h and h aligning with the lines e and e' and the crease lines k and k' aligning with the inner lines ,f and f.

The blank, formed and scored with crease lines as above described, is folded along the lines d and d', so that the symmetrical halves of the bottom panels are laid at on one another and the fouter panels'IZ and I2' upon portions of theinner panels III and I0'. This brings the outer portions of the end sections I8 and I8' onto portions vof the mid-portions I4 and I4 so that the former cover the' punch sections II. The terminal ilaps I3 and I3 are then folded i over on top of the outer portions of the sections I 8 and I8', so that the article has the form shown in Fig. 3. Then, in thisat folded condition, it is fed to a stapling machine and staples ZIJ are driven through the overlapped portions of the terminal flaps I3, end sections I8 and midportions I4, and terminal` flaps I3', end sections I8 and mid-portions I4', through the punch sections II, against the under sides of which the staples are clenched, as seen in Fig. 4. This stapling definitely fastens and secures the receptacle in its at collapsed condition as illustrated in Fig. 3.

It will be understood, as pointed out above, that the width of the bottom panels is such as to accommodate the Width of the articles for which the receptacle is designed, and likewise that the height of the outer panels I2 and I2 represents a substantial proportion of the height of such articles.

To facilitate its being carried, the receptacle is provided with a handle 2i which may be in the form shown in Fig. 6. Such handle has 'a bail portion terminating at aligned journal portions 2Ia, which extend toward each other from opposite ends of the bail portion, the distance of the receptacle. This handle is made of very y the other, through said apertures.

I 6 from the adjacent ends of the end lsections I'I in said mid-portions stii wire'gso that it will not iex under the weight of the loaded container, and to attach it to the receptacle shown in Fig. 3, said receptacle is ilexedlaterally, into an arched form,

until the handle apertures I5 are brought close enough to each other to permit the journal portions Ia to be introduced, first one and then Thereupon the receptacle is released, so that it will spring back to its fiat form,v thus bringing the apertures I5 out to the ends of the bail portion and definitelyl locking the handle to the receptacle.

After the handle has thus been attached to the receptacle, the container is set up Simply by drawing the outer panels I2 and I2' away from the inner panels I0 and same time swinging the said inner panels toward each other by flexing along the crease line A.

When the outer panels I2, I 2' are thus forced awayl from the inner panels I Il, I0', the end sections I8 and I 8' are at the same time drawn away from the mid-portions I4, I4' so that the narrow remaining connections of the punch are broken, and the punch sections are completely detached from and drawn out of said mid-portions I4. At the same time, bottom panels II, II' are flattened out, and the gussets I6, I6' bent down to a sloping position, so that the parts assume the relationships illustrated in Fig. 1. It will be observed that as so set up, the container affords two collaterally disposed compartments, separated from each other by the inner panels IU, I 0', and having respectively' outer walls formed by the panels I2, I2' and end walls formed by the conjoined endsections. The gussets IG constitute positioning stays for these end walls, as well as sta'ys or retainers 'cooperating with the handle to prevent its being flexed outwardly so as to disengage the journal portions 2Ia, and said gussets also function as rein- I0', and at thel line a. Due to the presence ot the creases e. f,

h and lc. the end walls take a rounded form, whereas the outer panels I2 and I2' bear parallel relationship to theinner panels ill, Il. The punch sections il lremain securely retained by the staples, so that they form, in eiect. part of the fastening means, fand aid in maintaining the security of the connection.

The bottles are placed in the collaterally disposed compartments by sliding them downwardly thereinto, so that they are seated securely therein, the containers shown in Fig. 1 being designed for accommodation of three bottles in each of the compartments. With the receptacle so loaded, the package may be carried conveni ently by means of the handle 2|, the bail of which extends upwardly above the tops of the bottle suiiiciently to accommodate the fingers comfortably. For purpose of permitting stacking of such packages one upon another, the bail may be of such form as to permit its sliding downwardly through the apertures l5 to an extent such that its upper portion may be positioned below the tops of the bottles. Thus the bottles of one package may form a rest upon which another package may be placed. The legs of the bail may be provided with shoulders or jutting portions 2lb to limit the extent to which it ma slide -downwardly in the apertures I5.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that arranged and connected to form collaterally disposed compartments at the outer sides of the inner panels. together with gussets extending between andconnecting the adjacent end walls. the inner panels being provided at their upper portions with a handle whereby the container may be carried pendulously.

2. A container as specified in claim 1 and wherein the handle is connectedl to the inner panels between the gussets.

3. A container as ,specified in claim 3 and wherein the inner panels are provided with 'f handle apertures on their line'of connection and the receptacle may be completely fabricated at l the factory. in the form illustrated in Fig. 3, in which collapsed form it may b'e stacked and packaged for shipment to the user. It will be understood also that from this iiat collapsed form the user may set it up very quickly and without any special equipment, simply by inserting the handle as above described, and opening up the compartments as above explained. When so set up, the container holds its proper form with suitable stability, so that after the contents have been removed from it, as may be done without any distortion or mutilation of it, it still remains in condition to receive themagain, as for return of them tothe dealer.

It will be observed, furthermore, that this container provides a package which has no materially greater extent in any direction than the corresponding dimensions of its contents. Hence, such packages are particularly adapted for use in the standard size cases, trays or cartons in which the articles normally are packaged in one dozen or two dozen lots for shipment or handling.

I claim:

1. A container for the packaging of bottles and the like comprising a piece of sheet material shaped and creased to form a pair of inner panels which are conjoined at their upper margins, and outer panels, bottom panels and end walls, all

the gussets connect the end wallsoutwardly beyond said handle apertures.

4. A container as specified in claim 1 and wherein the end walls extend `laterally beyond the lateral limits of the inner and outer panels when the device is set up.

5. A container as speclned in'claim 1 and wherein the'end walls are creased to take an arcuate form between the inner and outer panels.

6. A container made in collapsed form from a sheet ofppaper board and formed with a pair of inner panels integrally connected to each other at their upper ends and a pair' of outer panels each integrally'connected with a respective inner panel by intervening bottom .portion at its lower margingeach of said bottom portions being providedwith a crease on which the sheet is folded to place the adjacent outer panel nat that those'of one panel lie iiat von those of the other when the sheet is folded, terminal portions of some ofsaid end wall sectionsbeing folded over onto the outer surfaces of others so as to form a three-ply arrangement when the panels are against each other, and fastenings extending through and fixed in-the three .plies adjacent the outer margins of the folded end'sections so as to connect-the end sections of one panel to the end sections of the other and form end walls joining said portions of the end wall sections in whichsaid fastenings are seated farthest from the terminal margins thereof being' substantially surrounded by scorings, so that said portions may be -readilydetached and pulled out.of the sheet in the operation of separating the panels to set up the container.

'1. A container as specified in claim. 6 and wherein the endwalls are wider than the bottom portions and the ends of the bottom portions extend beyond the lateral ends of the inner panels.

8. A container as specied in claim 6 and wherein the end walls extend laterally beyond the lateral limits of the inner and outer panels when the device is set up.

EDWIN L. ARNESON.

of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5,

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,285,599. June 9, 19LLZ.

EDWIN LEWIS ARNEsoN.

It i hereby certified that error appears inthe printed specification ond column, line ll, for the claim Henry Van Arsdale,

I (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

